NVIC’s Advocacy Portal 2011 Recap and 2012 Expectations

In its debut legislative session to expand and protect the right to informed consent, NVIC’s Advocacy Portal (NVICAP) now has about 20,000 consumers from all 50 states working to protect and expand vaccine exemption.

The portal was launched as a free public service program of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) in response to the increasingly aggressive actions of the government and medical and pharmaceutical industries to require more vaccines while simultaneously attempting to restrict the use of conscientious or philosophical, religious, and medical exemptions to mandatory vaccination laws.

In 2011, we saw the most aggressive attempts to restrict informed consent to vaccination that we have ever seen. In response, our volunteer state directors used the NVICAP to track 61 bills in 25 states that affect informed consent to vaccination, provide support for bills filed to add conscientious or philosophical exemptions in six states, and to issue more than 70 bill status announcements and action alerts to NVIC Advocacy Portal users in 18 states.

Bills to Expand Exemptions

In six states, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia, bills were filed to expand exemptions to allow parents the ability decline vaccines for school entry. In Connecticut and Montana bills were filed to expand exemptions for daycare. While none of these bills were passed due to heavy resistance by forced vaccination proponents, there have never been this many states seeking to expand vaccine exemptions at one time. This demonstrates Americans’ desire for vaccine freedom.

Some defensive successes included actions taken by NVICAP members in Wyoming that stopped a meningitis vaccine mandate, member efforts in Texas killed a bill designed change the vaccine tracking registry from opt-in to opt-out, and our Colorado members stopped a pre-emptive attempt to limit vaccine exemptions by rule.

Grassroots Efforts Bring Change and Prepare Consumers for Action

NVIC advocacy team members were supported by NVIC’s Advocacy Portal in a major fight against a bill limiting the personal belief exemption in Washington by requiring a health care practitioner signature on the exemption form. We were able to help recruit and coach more than 90 families to attend the hearing and register against the bill. While we were unable to stop the bill, the pressure created by these grassroots efforts changed the language of the final bill and increased the number of our Washington advocates to over 1,000.

In California we waged a battle against HPV vaccines for minors without parental consent and gained over 2,000 new members and 2 new directors leaving us better prepared in that state with an infrastructure of informed and committed members.

Benefits of NVIC’s Advocacy Portal

Portal members enjoy easy access to their elected officials with direct links that connect our members to their legislators. Personalized member pages display their state team page and current legislative action alerts and bills to watch. By coupling easy step-by-step action items along with easy access to elected officials, our members are empowered and encouraged to become involved in the process and make a difference.

What to Expect in 2012

In 2012, our members can expect even more aggressive actions against our rights than in 2011. We expect even more legislative attempts to restrict or remove existing vaccine exemptions, more vaccine mandates for school children, and expanded government vaccine tracking. We also expect more attempts to pass laws supporting sanctions and job termination against employees for refusing vaccination.

In order to increase our effectiveness in protecting and expanding our rights, we need more Advocacy Team Members in each state.

Legislative sessions are starting around the country, and we are starting 2012 with our feet running. Below are bills that we are already tracking and alerting our readers to take action on so that they can defend their informed consent rights.

hmm never got a flu vaccination and I've always been fine.. heptchii! No seriously how bad can it be if for two/three days you feel like crap with all these vaccinations (which don't always work anyway) we're becoming weak..ciao R be well :*